Mollenhauer 5022 Denner Sopranino

It's a very pretty-sounding instrument, but on mine the lowest couple of notes are quite weak and you have to get your thumb "just so" or the top notes don't speak cleanly. This isn't unusual for a sopranino recorder in general and a good specialist might be able to make some minute adjustments and fix those problems easily, but this is my assessment out of the box. The full range, when you can get it, is sweet-sounding and not piercing even on the topmost G, and the instrument has very good flexibility. Like any sopranino I've ever played, the top notes tend to be a little on the sharp side but not so much that you would notice without a tuner.

This replaced an apricot-wood sopranino that I got in Hungary from an unknown manufacturer. That was certainly a nice little instrument, but the sound and responsiveness of this is really wonderful?no reflection on the Hungarian instrument. Still, there is a world of difference between the two. Light to hold, the Denner sopranino feels good in the hand and has a lovely and bright sound. The colour of the zapatero "boxwood" is very attractive, and of course the Denner styling is classic. The recorder came in a neat little cotton taco-case with leather trim (Thomann should carry these leather-trimmed cases in addition to the black taco-case bags?the Mollenhauer 7703 and the likel) In the carrying bag there is a microfibre cleaning rod, fingering chart, and joint grease. I am delighted with this purchase.